Expandable portfolio

ABSTRACT

A portable accordion file organizer including rectangular front and back panels, accordion walls connecting opposite sides and the bottom of the front and back panels, and N sequential divider panels P n  secured to the accordion walls between the front and back panels. Each divider panel has a height greater than the height of the divider panel in front of it and less than the height of the divider panel behind it. The divider panels also each have a cutout section in its top edge wherein the cutout sections of adjacent divider panels are laterally spaced from one another on alternating sides of the center of the divider panel, and have a height which is substantially at least the difference in the height of adjacent divider panels.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is directed toward portable file organizers, and particularly toward expandable portfolios.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND TECHNICAL PROBLEMS POSED BY THE PRIOR ART

Portable file organizers are, of course, very old. Such organizers are used to carry papers and other generally flat items in manner which makes them organized and accessible.

Expandable portfolios are one such organizer, which use accordion sides in order to allow the portfolio thickness to adjust to the amount of materials organized in the portfolio. Divider panels are often included in such portfolios which permit the materials to be separated in a desired organization, making them more accessible to be found and taken out for review and/or use. Tabs are often used to assist in making the organization recognizable and efficient. However, where the information located on the tabs for that purpose is hidden or otherwise not viewable, whether due to damage to the tabs or to hiding of the information contained on the tabs, the efficient use of the portfolio is significantly hindered.

The present invention is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a portable accordion file organizer is provided, including a generally rectangular front panel, a generally rectangular back panel, accordion walls connecting opposite sides and the bottom of the front and back panels, and N sequential divider panels P_(n) secured to the accordion walls between the front and back panels. Each divider panel has a height greater than the height of the divider panel in front of it and less than the height of the divider panel behind it, and the divider panels each have a cutout section in its top edge wherein the cutout sections of adjacent divider panels are laterally spaced from one another.

In one form of this aspect of the present invention, the cutout sections have a height which is substantially at least the difference in the height of adjacent divider panels.

In another form of this aspect of the present invention, the divider panels are secured to the accordion walls at substantially equal spacing.

In still another form of this aspect of the present invention, the cutout sections are positioned on alternating sides of the center of the divider panel top edge on alternate of the sequential divider panels.

In yet another form of this aspect of the present invention, a cover flap is secured to the top edge of the back panel.

In another aspect of the present invention, a portable accordion file organizer is provided, including a generally rectangular front panel, a generally rectangular back panel, accordion walls connecting opposite sides and the bottom of the front and back panels, and N sequential divider panels P_(n) secured to the accordion walls between the front and back panels. Divider panel P₁ is the frontmost divider panel, and divider panel P_(N) is the backmost divider panel. Each divider panel P_(n) has a height h_(n)=h+nD, where “n” is an integer from 1 to N and D>0. Each divider panel also has a topmost edge which is substantially straight with a notched section having a bottom edge spaced at least about D below the topmost edge.

In one form of this aspect of the present invention, the divider panels are secured to the accordion walls at substantially equal spacing.

In another form of this aspect of the present invention, the front panel has a height H_(F), where h>H_(F).

In still another form of this aspect of the present invention, the notched sections are positioned on alternating sides of the center of the divider panel top edge on alternate of the sequential divider panels.

In yet another form of this aspect of the present invention, a cover flap is secured to the top edge of the back panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a closed organizer embodying the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the FIG. 1 organizer when opened.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an expandable portfolio, or portable accordion file organizer, 10 encompassing the present invention.

Specifically, the organizer 10 includes a generally rectangular front panel 20 and a generally rectangular back panel 22 connected along opposite sides and along the bottom by accordion walls 26. Divider panels 30 are also suitably secured to the accordion walls 26 so that pockets defined between the divider panels 30 may be expanded or contracted according to the amount of papers or other items required to be stored in each pocket.

The divider panels 30 have a sequentially increasing height, that is, each divider panel 30 has a height which is greater than the one in front of it and less than the one behind it. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, there are twelve divider panels 30, which can be designated as P₁ to P₁₂, with P₁ being the frontmost divider panel 30 and P₁₂ being the backmost divider panel 30, where P₁ has a height less than P₂, which has a height less than P₃, and so on, with P₁₂ having the greatest height of the divider panels 30. As a result, the organizer 10 has a height which generally tapers up from the front panel 20 to the back panel 22.

The divider panels 30 are also generally rectangular, except that along their top edge they include at least one cutout or notched section 34, 36, where the cutout sections 34 of one panel P_(n) are laterally offset or spaced from the cutout sections 36 of adjacent divider panels 30.

In a particularly advantageous form, the height of the cutout sections 34, 36 should be no less than the difference in height between the adjacent divider panels 30. It should be appreciated that with such a configuration, a virtual tab 40 having a height twice the difference in the height of the adjacent divider panels will be exposed (i.e., unblocked by preceding divider panels 30) (when the divider panel height difference is uniform). Thus, more legible information may be provided on the virtual tabs 40 without that information being hidden by divider panels 30 in front of the information.

In the illustrated embodiment, there are two rows of cutout sections 34, 36 on opposite sides of the center of the panels 30. It should be appreciated, however, that a similar advantage could also be provided with more than two rows of cutout sections 34, 36. Moreover, it would be within the scope of the present invention to provide alternating cutout sections through groups of, for example, three adjacent divider panels, in which case the first cutout would have a height at least the difference in height between the panels, and the middle of the three panels would have a cutout with a height at least twice the difference in height between the panels. With such a configuration, the resulting exposed virtual tab on the third panel would be at least three times the height difference of adjacent panels. Three rows formed in this manner would thus provide a virtual tab on each divider panel.

A cover flap 50 is also secured to the top edge of the back panel 22 so that it may be suitably folded or hinged to open and close over the top of the organizer 10. The organizer 10 also includes a plurality of parallel lines of weakening 52 along which the flap 50 may be readily folded to fit over the organizer 10 in a variety of conditions (e.g., relatively flat/thin with few documents therein, or thick with many documents therein). At the outer edge of the flap 50 is a suitable securing member, such as an elastic loop 60 which may be secured over a spool 62 or the like suitably secured to the front panel 20 of the organizer 10.

It should be appreciated that a organizer 10 incorporating the present invention may provide different pocket depths to suitably arrange different size documents and other items.

Moreover, it should be appreciated that the virtual tabs 40 according to the present invention would not extend up from the panel with which they are associated. Rather, the virtual tabs 40 are aligned with the general top edge of the panels 30, and therefore are not as susceptible to bending and/or tearing as tabs in the prior art which extend up. Such tabs 40 still provide a large area for information to be placed, all the while also remaining readily visible to organizer users without being hidden behind dividers in front of them.

Still other aspects, objects, and advantages of the present invention can be obtained from a study of the specification, the drawings, and the appended claims. It should be understood, however, that the present invention could be used in alternate forms where less than all of the objects and advantages of the present invention and preferred embodiment as described above would be obtained. 

1. A portable accordion file organizer, comprising: a generally rectangular front panel; a generally rectangular back panel; accordion walls connecting opposite sides and the bottom of said front and back panels; N sequential divider panels P_(n) secured to said accordion walls between said front and back panels; wherein each divider panel has a height greater than the height of the divider panel in front of it and less than the height of the divider panel behind it, and said divider panels each have a cutout section in its top edge wherein said cutout sections of adjacent divider panels are laterally spaced from one another.
 2. The accordion file organizer of claim 1, wherein said cutout sections have a height which is substantially at least the difference in the height of adjacent divider panels.
 3. The accordion file organizer of claim 1, wherein said divider panels are secured to said accordion walls at substantially equal spacing.
 4. The accordion file organizer of claim 1, wherein said cutout sections are positioned on alternating sides of the center of the divider panel top edge on alternate of the sequential divider panels.
 5. The accordion file organizer of claim 1, further comprising a cover flap secured to the top edge of the back panel.
 6. A portable accordion file organizer, comprising: a generally rectangular front panel; a generally rectangular back panel; accordion walls connecting opposite sides and the bottom of said front and back panels; N sequential divider panels P_(n) secured to said accordion walls between said front and back panels, wherein n is an integer from 1 to N, divider panel P₁ is the frontmost divider panel, divider panel P_(N) is the backmost divider panel, each divider panel P_(n) has a height h_(n)=h+nD; and D>0; wherein each divider panel has a topmost edge which is substantially straight with a notched section having a bottom edge spaced at least about D below said topmost edge.
 7. The accordion file organizer of claim 6, wherein said divider panels are secured to said accordion walls at substantially equal spacing.
 8. The accordion file organizer of claim 6, wherein said front panel has a height H_(F), where h>H_(F).
 9. The accordion file organizer of claim 6, wherein said notched sections are positioned on alternating sides of the center of the divider panel topmost edge on alternate of the sequential divider panels.
 10. The accordion file organizer of claim 6, further comprising a cover flap secured to the top edge of the back panel. 